Choosing an accounting software can be a very daunting task. You are truly choosing which program to trust your finances to. Accounting software is a must for any small business. The reasons to have a good accounting software include the following criteria.Reducing/eliminating human errors
Generating sales forecasts
Help with inventory
Help with ordering/stocking
Determine most profitable/least profitable products/services
You have to first determine what your most important needs are in terms of financial software. You have to decide what exactly you want to get out of your software. Do you just need the basics? Do you want a cash flow calculator? Do you want very detailed records including things like point of sale, and inventory control?
Here is a short list of small business accounting software vendors:
Freshbooks
LessAccounting.com
OutRight
Peachtree (Sage)
QuickBooks
Wave Accounting
Xero
I would definitely recommend trying a software program that has a free trial period first, to get a feel for the program and determine if it is right for you. I believe that Quick Books has a free trial program, and it is super easy to upgrade to the paid versions, but I am sure that if you did a quick search there are tons of other programs that offer a free trial as well. I would also recommend talking to your accountant and other business owners to find out their top picks as well.
Another important thing to find out is the support available from the program. Is support included in the price or are there additional fees? Is there someone available for you to talk to 24/7, Or are you going to be stuck talking to a computer when you have a genuine need?
Accounting software is just one of the very important decisions that a small business owner must make; take these things into consideration and you will be fine!
